Improvements
13 January 2013 21:20![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glenatronThe first thing I was hoping that 2013 would bring was better weather and so far it has. After the relentless rain of last year, blank skies and January's washed-out winter palette are still a clear improvement.
I was given some new chaps for Christmas, which I totally love and mean that I can finally get rid of my old long boots, which will be nice as they were getting a bit tired. Now I can wear real boots on English stirrups and still retain the skin from the inside of my calves, which will be a pleasant change.
Meeting my sister outlaw's horse Shotty last weekend, mostly a chance to show off my kick ass chaps.
As for my ponies, Zorro is going out again in a gradually growing pen, getting super-excited about it and charging about like an idiot as soon as he is off the line. Amazingly in spite of this he appears to have remained sound, although his unruly nature combined with much box rest means it's a little tricky to get much sense out of him on the line. He's had a new trimmer since mid autumn and she has done a really great job with his feet, which were responding badly to too much box rest ( which results in hoof growth without any abrasion to remove old sole ) and she has made a big difference to him.
Cash, meanwhile, remains entirely Cash in outlook and general Cashness.
I haven't ridden him since the summer - I've been working to get to the bottom of the issues that caused him to get so anxious. I know part of it was saddle related he has form for being bothered about his saddle moving from before I knew him and this resurfaced with a vengeance when everything fell apart last spring. Since the chiro pronounced him ready to work, I decided to begin by getting back on without the saddle and he's beginning to accept the idea, as far as lying over him and wiggling about is concerned though I wouldn't be surprised if I hit the deck a few times before we're through with the process of getting back to normal work. I will know that his foundation is absolutely rock solid, though - every time I feel any kind of slip or gap opening up I am going back and fixing it before I move on. That happens a lot as he seems to retain things particularly poorly- if we don't practice something very regularly he seems to forget all about it. No matter where you're at, the next horse you get will find ways to make whatever you knew until now inadequate, I think. Cash has certainly taught me a lot but some days I would just like to go out for a ride.
Consequently most of my riding this year has been on other people's horses in lessons of one kind or another- on the two contracts I have worked in the last year I have managed to find schools where I could get there, have a lesson and get back in a slightly elongated lunchtime, which has meant I've at least been able to keep my ideas of how to stay above a horse broadly in order and worked with two quite different teachers riding some very different horses.
My current contract is in Basingstoke, which means I get to drive for about 45 minutes morning and evening, but it's mostly on small to medium sized roads so the traffic isn't too bad. The project I've been working on since August kind of [went off the rails/didn't have any rails in the first place and that was the problem/has changed] but in spite of a lot of contractor layoffs they have inexplicably decided to keep me on for a couple of months extra at least, which is about the right amount of time as far as I'm concerned. So far I have rather enjoyed contracting and being in the current job where it's a large, interesting project, with lots of other good contractors to work alongside has been a lot of fun as well as an education in tools and methodologies- some to use in future, others to potentially avoid.
we are still staying with my parents, but I have a contract for the flat we are in the process of purchasing, which means so hopefully that will go through fairly soon. I am really looking forward to just sharing with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
herecirm again and having our own house and our own space, albeit a very small one.
I was given some new chaps for Christmas, which I totally love and mean that I can finally get rid of my old long boots, which will be nice as they were getting a bit tired. Now I can wear real boots on English stirrups and still retain the skin from the inside of my calves, which will be a pleasant change.
Meeting my sister outlaw's horse Shotty last weekend, mostly a chance to show off my kick ass chaps.
As for my ponies, Zorro is going out again in a gradually growing pen, getting super-excited about it and charging about like an idiot as soon as he is off the line. Amazingly in spite of this he appears to have remained sound, although his unruly nature combined with much box rest means it's a little tricky to get much sense out of him on the line. He's had a new trimmer since mid autumn and she has done a really great job with his feet, which were responding badly to too much box rest ( which results in hoof growth without any abrasion to remove old sole ) and she has made a big difference to him.
Cash, meanwhile, remains entirely Cash in outlook and general Cashness.
I haven't ridden him since the summer - I've been working to get to the bottom of the issues that caused him to get so anxious. I know part of it was saddle related he has form for being bothered about his saddle moving from before I knew him and this resurfaced with a vengeance when everything fell apart last spring. Since the chiro pronounced him ready to work, I decided to begin by getting back on without the saddle and he's beginning to accept the idea, as far as lying over him and wiggling about is concerned though I wouldn't be surprised if I hit the deck a few times before we're through with the process of getting back to normal work. I will know that his foundation is absolutely rock solid, though - every time I feel any kind of slip or gap opening up I am going back and fixing it before I move on. That happens a lot as he seems to retain things particularly poorly- if we don't practice something very regularly he seems to forget all about it. No matter where you're at, the next horse you get will find ways to make whatever you knew until now inadequate, I think. Cash has certainly taught me a lot but some days I would just like to go out for a ride.
Consequently most of my riding this year has been on other people's horses in lessons of one kind or another- on the two contracts I have worked in the last year I have managed to find schools where I could get there, have a lesson and get back in a slightly elongated lunchtime, which has meant I've at least been able to keep my ideas of how to stay above a horse broadly in order and worked with two quite different teachers riding some very different horses.
My current contract is in Basingstoke, which means I get to drive for about 45 minutes morning and evening, but it's mostly on small to medium sized roads so the traffic isn't too bad. The project I've been working on since August kind of [went off the rails/didn't have any rails in the first place and that was the problem/has changed] but in spite of a lot of contractor layoffs they have inexplicably decided to keep me on for a couple of months extra at least, which is about the right amount of time as far as I'm concerned. So far I have rather enjoyed contracting and being in the current job where it's a large, interesting project, with lots of other good contractors to work alongside has been a lot of fun as well as an education in tools and methodologies- some to use in future, others to potentially avoid.
we are still staying with my parents, but I have a contract for the flat we are in the process of purchasing, which means so hopefully that will go through fairly soon. I am really looking forward to just sharing with
herecirm again and having our own house and our own space, albeit a very small one.
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no subject
Date: 15 Jan 2013 08:09 (UTC)Cash is going to come through if I can possibly persuade him. He's a very interesting pony.